This invention relates to a strap from a hook and loop fastener and more particularly to a D-ring for such a hook and loop strap which simplifies the construction and use of such strap.
It is well known in the art to use hook and loop fasteners in configurations which include a D-ring. Such D-rings are used by attaching one end of the fastener strip to the D-ring and manipulating the other end of the strip to form a loop which can surround objects, to hold them, and threading the tip of the strap back through the opening in the D-ring and releasably attaching the tip of the strip to companion elements on the body of the strap. A D-ring, as used herein, is a flat section of material containing an opening, often configured in the shape of a "D", and thus the name, which is used as a cinch ring or a buckle to fasten two loose ends of a belt or strap. Sometimes such devices are called buckles but in this case, I prefer to use the term D-ring. The top view profile of the D-ring may take on many shapes, but the most common is a rectangular shape where two side legs of the D-ring are used to hold two opposite end legs which in turn carry some suspended member such as a belt or strap. Hook and loop straps with D-rings have been long used to secure boxes where the strap surrounding the box holds the flaps in place and prevents them from opening and spilling the contents of the box. U.S. Pat. No. 3,000,384 dated Jan. 4, 1960 illustrates such straps used to encircle and bind a hank of hair. In such products the longitudinally spaced engaging portions may be in face to face proximity or may be in face to back proximity depending upon the specific threading contemplated for the strap. U.S. Pat. No. 3,679,530 to Perina discloses an attachment device for securing to other object comprising hooking elements affixed to a ridged support member and an elastic band also attached to the opposite sides of the support member so as to form a loop which can be fitted around to encircle objects of irregular cross sectional shapes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,540 is typical of many patents which teach the use of cinch straps in various combinations with secondary straps through various ring arrangements. All of these combinations conventionally thread a strip fastener around an object and through a D-ring in such a way as to have one portion of the strip, the hooking element for example, engage the face of the other portion of the strip, the loop elements to create a cinching action around the object.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,015 to Shaull discloses a flexible loop clamp and strap in which the ridged base member includes a mounting portion for connecting to a support structure and a strap attachment portion to which a strap is intimately attached such that the strap is designed to thread back through an opening in the base member, the strap is threaded back upon itself to engage with opposing mating element on its back side. This patent also teaches one configuration wherein the base member incorporates on one surface opposing mating elements to engage the opposite mating elements on the strap face.
Hook and loop straps are customarily composed of a D-ring attached to one end of a length of a strip containing elements on one side while their companion elements are attached to the other side of the strip. The strap is attached to or surrounds articles by the length of material constituting the strap to form a noose which can be tightened around the article. In such case, there is no need for means of attaching the strap directly to an article. It is also known to affix D-rings to objects and thread a strap assembly through the D-ring and back upon itself to fasten to companion elements making up a portion of the strap. In all such cases, the strap is a complex product requiring fabrication of the different companion elements into a single continuous strap. To my knowledge there has never been available, a stand alone D-ring which incorporates hook or loop elements as a part of the D-ring itself without having a strap as an integral part of the assembly.
Prior art products are complex assemblies which are most often individually fabricated from combinations of hook and loop components specifically selected for the application contemplated. A section of loop has to be attached to a portion of hook to create the basic strap and the strap portion, thus formed, has to be attached to the "D" ring by sonic sealing, sewing or other means to perform its strap function. The process of fabricating strap products, therefore, imposes considerable delay in adopting straps to specific needs in the field. It would be preferable to have a strap configuration that can be easily fabricated in the field as needed. Therefore, it is one objective of the present invention to create a strap, including a "D" ring, which can be easily assembled in the field without the need of complex assembly methods or tools such as sealing machines and the like. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a strap which is readily adaptable to many different articles. A still further objective of this invention is to provide a "D" ring capable of being attached to a wide range of objects. Still other objectives will become obvious with the following descriptions.